Biography
Who is Vincent Gallo?
Early life in Buffalo
Vincent Gallo was born on April 11, 1961, in Buffalo, New York. His parents, Vincent Gallo Sr. And Janet Gallo, were both of Sicilian descent and worked as hairdressers. He grew up in a Catholic household with an older brother named Charles and a younger sister named Janine. During his youth, Vincent had a difficult relationship with his father, whom he described as a dark and raging figure. He also claimed that at age twelve, he spent a year involved with a local criminal group in Buffalo before being encouraged to seek a legitimate career path.
He attended Sweet Home High School and graduated in 1978. Shortly after finishing school, he left his hometown and moved to New York City at the age of sixteen. To support himself in the city, he worked several jobs, including washing dishes in a restaurant and working at a guitar shop. During the 1980s, he pursued interests in professional motorcycle racing and painting. He claims to have raced bikes for Yamaha in the 125cc and 250cc classes, though he did not win a national championship.
Career in music and art
Before finding success in cinema, Vincent Gallo was an active musician and painter in the New York art scene. He collaborated with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and worked with Lukas Haas. As a musician, he released several albums, including When in 2001. His musical talents extended to film scoring, as he composed the soundtrack for his own directorial projects. Beyond his creative output, Vincent worked as a model for high-profile fashion brands such as Calvin Klein, Saint Laurent, and Supreme.
His artistic background influenced his transition into acting and filmmaking. He appeared in the 1981 film Downtown 81 alongside Basquiat and took roles in various independent productions throughout the 1980s. Vincent eventually landed a small part in the Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas and a major supporting role in Arizona Dream alongside Johnny Depp. These early roles established him as a versatile performer in both American and European cinema circles.
Directing and acting highlights
In 1998, Vincent Gallo wrote, directed, and starred in Buffalo '66. The film was produced for $1.5 million and earned him a nomination for Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards. Following this success, he directed The Brown Bunny in 2003, which featured a motorcycle road trip across the United States. This film became famous for a controversial scene involving Chloë Sevigny and sparked a public feud with film critic Roger Ebert, though the two eventually reconciled after a re-edited version was released.
Vincent continued to act in films directed by others, such as Trouble Every Day and Tetro. In 2010, he played a non-speaking role in the film Essential Killing, which earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival. That same year, he debuted his third feature film as a director, titled Promises Written in Water. He has also directed music videos for artists like Jay-Z and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, including the videos for 99 Problems and Going Inside.
Birthday and age
Vincent Gallo was born on April 11, 1961, which makes Vincent 65 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Vincent shares the date with 47 other famous people.
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